The Heart Lies
by robyn-chan
Summary: Sakura's been living with Tsunade for most of her life. When Tsunade is sent as Headmistress to Konoha Acadamy, a school for young ninjas like herself, Sakura finds herself thrust into a life in which she has never known before. SasuSaku NaruHin NejiTen
1. Chapter 1

Heyyarr! Welcome to my fanficcle! This is my first on here, so don't expect it to be AH-MAZING! But I hope you enjoy it. Okay, now to get the basic mumbo jumbo out of the way...

There pairing for this little ol' ficcle is going to be... SasuSaku, NaruHin, NejiTen and possibly ShikaIno.

This is also a High School Fic. -sigh- Overdone, I know, but I did have this little idea... -smirk- and yes, they are still ninjas. It's a sort of ninja high school thing. See? yup.

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. How ever much I'd like to, sadly, it's not true. Shame really...

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**Chapter 1-Brand New Beginning!**

The light crept through the gap between the slick curtains, and spilled itself over the young girls smooth, creamy complexion. She stirred, frowning, her thin eyebrows together, as she moaned almost inaudibly, eyelids fluttering to reveal her piercing green eyes, somewhat clouded from her slumber. She stretched her arms behind her head and she slowly began to move into a seated position on her bed.

She didn't even know whether to call it her bed. It was the first night she had slept in this strange dorm, the walls, bare and cream, just seemed to bare their invisible eyes towards her and she had her first proper look at her surroundings. The decoration was plain, very plain, with simple furniture cluttering the small space. A desk found itself in the right corner against the wall, accompanied by a very old and worn looking chair. One singular chest of drawers pushed up against a wardrobe, to the left.

See, she had only arrived just last night, well after the sun had set, accompanied by none other than the Head Mistress of this very school in which she now attended, Tsunade-sama. She greatly admired Tsunade-sama, for many different reasons, but the one in which she felt meant the most to her was, at the loss of her parents, Tsunade-sama took her in as an apprentice, teaching her techniques in which she now felt proud of. She moved from town to town along with Tsunade-sama, until recently when Tsunade-sama was summoned to the school and appointed Headmistress. She didn't mind, of course, she was just grateful that Tsunade-sama had allowed her to attend the school, just as any other student would do so, and maybe, just maybe, she might find herself with some friends, something she longed for.

She sighed, feeling slightly nervous about the day ahead. The term had already partially began, and students most probably had already made their friendship groups, which led her as a disadvantage. It's not that she didn't feel she wouldn't fit it, she had no trouble getting on with strangers, it was the fact that she didn't want people asking of her past; something in which she liked to keep to herself.

She ran her hand through her hair before she lifted herself off the bed and walked over to the wardrobe, pulling out a fresh new pair of clothes before changing. She made her way towards the mirror above the chest of drawers, and brushed her glossy pink hair until satisfied. She stared at herself in the mirror, her self-concious opinions flowing endlessly through her mind, but in the end she gave up, giving a half-assed smile to the mirror before trailing over to the desk. There was nothing on the desk but a single item, a forehead protector, with a simple which resembled a leaf bared on it's shiny new metal. She remembered Tsunade-sama telling her to wear it, a mark of a student and ninja of the village in which the school was situated. Konoha, she thought to herself, indeed it was her birth home, but she felt no emotion towards it, having parted from it for so long. Her memories, those who had not been lost and forgotten, were faded and blurry and nothing like the images she saw as she peered through the small window by her bedside.

"Sakura, are you up?" A voice came through the door, a recognisable tone of softness which she knew instantly it was Shizune. Tsunade has introduced them ans she was Tsunade's kind of sectary and deputy.

"I am," Sakura spoke softly, opening the door, smiling fainly at the older woman before her.

"I see you slept well," Shizune asked, smiling encouragingly at Sakura. "You should put that on you know." She said pointedly at the forehead protector, which was still grasped in Sakura's hand.

She led Sakura through a maze of corridors, before entering a large dining areas, where over a hundred different ninjas sat enjoying a morning breakfast before lessons. Sakura was lead up towards the Staff table at the head of the room where Tsunade-sama was helping herself to an apple before catching eye of Sakura.

"Ah, yes, Sakura! You will be starting classes today, considering your age, you'll be in N7. North block, group 7. These comrades will be your classmates from now until you graduate, I hope you will find yourself at home. Here's a map, your timetable and a note, just encase any of your teachers forget about enrolling a new pupil into their classes. Yes, I think that's it," She smiled happily up at Sakura, before turning back towards her apple.

Sakura thanked Tsunade-sama before turning to find a place to examine her map and timetable whilst eating breakfast. She looked out towards the crowd of people, some older than her younger. She wondered aimlessly, before finding a small table at the edge of the room, which laid empty and sat herself down, her mind focussing on finding what classes she had and where.

"You're in our seats," A slow, cold sort of voice sounded behind her and she jumped slightly before turning around.

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**Haha! Well, there's the first chapter. I'm sorry if it's a little dull, I just wanted to set up Sakura's situation!**

**Reviews will be very much appreciated and I will love you! And love will encourage me to write more! If that's what you want obviously...**


	2. Chapter 2

Heyyarr! I decided to write another Chapter even though I had NO REVIEWS! -cries-

Oh well, I got 20 views! So thanks for reading folks! Please review because if I don't receive any I may decide not to write any more!

Anyways, on with the next chapter!

**Chapter 2-Hello Classmates**

Sakura whipped her head around fast, frightened at the sudden voice which spoke, only a whisper, with such a cold, dark tone. Her eyes met ones equally as cold as the voice. Dark pupils bore into her own emerald pair, sending a slight shiver up her spine. He mustn't have been older than herself, around 15 ((yes this is set after the 2 year jump, but Orochimaru didn't happen people... it's in your mind...)). He had a strong aura about him, something along the lines of strength and longing.

"So-sorry," She almost whispered, before turning sharply, roughly gathering up her things before facing the boy again. His face showed no emotion and no warmth in his eyes as she slipped beside him and around the table.

She didn't want to be near this guy, who ever he was, she didn't want to know. She felt trouble and that was something that Tsunade always told her to avoid, though she doubted Tsunade never tried taking her own advise before. She stumbled her way away from the guy before turning back to have a final glance at his face, but he wasn't there.

"Hmph," She said as she made her way out of the dining room. He had moved her for nothing. What a jerk! Anger boiled inside of her and she didn't know why, she never usually got angry with anyone, mostly because she knew Tsunade's bad side.

She made her way into her first lesson, Taijustu, and it wasn't long before she found herself stumbling into the empty class room. "_Early,"_ She thought, as she sat her stuff down near the front of the classroom, awaiting someone to join her. The class room was long and looked as if it had been split into two halfs, one for theory work and another for practical.

She stood there for the good part of 5 minutes before, finally, she was joined. He was older than her, that she knew, considering his build. She took a good look, absorbing his appearance through her eyes and the only word she could describe him as was.. _weird_. His hair was cut in to a bob, as if someone had just placed a bowl over his head. He turned to finally acknowledge her, and gave a leap of surprise!

"Ah, the springtime of youth! Welcome to my class!" He gave a toothy grin and a wink. "Class enter quickly, we have a new student! We must all lead her into the springtime of youth!"

Sakura heard groans from outside the doorway, and figured the class had lined up outside. _Figures._ The class filed in begrudgingly, and sat down in their respected seats. Sakura swallowed hard as she felt a presence behind her.

"You're in my seat," Said a familiar voice. Sakura knew instantly that it was the cold drawl of the boy at lunch. "_Again_."

"Well, sorry." She said bitterly, not forgetting his rudeness at lunch. "_Again._" She added, glaring daggers into his own dark eyes. She really didn't like this boy, and she didn't even know who he was! She felt that familiar anger boil up inside her and his emotionless face stared at her arrogantly, watching her move out of his seat, again. She smiled sarcastically before the teacher pulled her up to join him at the front of the class.

"Class! This is our new classmate! I'm sure you'll be the best of friends!" ('hn.' the boy muttered from his front row seat.) "I'm Gai-sensei, your taijutsu teacher! Now tell us a bit about yourself!"

"Erm... my name is Haruno Sakura, I'm 15 and I just moved here." She gave a nervous glance at Gai-sensei, who gave her an encouraging look. She looked into the sea of faces before her. It didn't matter that there wasn't more than 20 people in the class; she still didn't like talking in front of people. "I like... er..." Her mind disappeared on her until her eyes lingered on the familiar boy in the front row. "Singing and I don't like arrogant twats." She said sarcastically smiling at the raven-haired boy.

"Hn" He muttered in response, his face just as emotionless as before.

"Well, Miss Sakura, please go, take a seat at the back, next to Ino," Gai-sensei pointing at a blonde girl who smiled brightly towards Sakura.

"Hey! My names Yamanaka Ino." She smiled as Sakura took her seat to the right of her.

Sakura smiled warmly back and made small talk throughout the lesson. No one was paying any attention to Gai-Sensei in the lessons, at it was clear that to Sakura that the only reason they came to the lesson was for the chance of a practical. The pair chatted finding out they had many common interests, including flowers and singing.

A bell rang, a short hour later as the class rose out of their seats. Sakura raised her head, she thought the lesson was a double! She rummaged hurriedly before Ino noticed what she was doing and clamed her nerves.

"Sakura! It's the half way bell. We've still got half the lesson left! It's practical now, come on!" She smiled leading her into the large empty side of the classroom. The class stood/sat along one side of the wall all turning to face and, at last, paid attention to Gai-Sensei who's smile grew wider, to Sakura's surprise.

"Okay same rules, no chakra, just plain Taijutsu! First up!" He announced staring at the class before him. "Uchia Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji!"

The class whooped joyfully as a boy stood up. His skin was pale and he had long dark brown hair, he had a strong aura around him, but that wasn't what captivated Sakura the most, no, it was his eyes. His eyes were ivory with no pupil as if he could see right through you. Sakura shivered at the thought before her attention was stolen. The raven-haired boy had too stood and made his way from the crowd into the open.

"WOO! GO Sasuke-KUN!" Ino practically screeched at the top of her lungs, along with a lot of other girls in class, some also cheering on Neji. Sakura jumped slightly, bemused at this reaction, stared blankly at Ino until she had finally calmed herself down and grinned stupidly towards Sakura. "Huh? What's wrong Sakura?"

"Erm... Why was everyone screaming?" She asked sheepishly.

"Why? Because only two of the most strongest, smartest, hottest guys in the school just got up to fight each other!" She said ecstatically, as if her birthday had came early. "Neji, the one with the white eyes, he's technically a year older than us, but for some ethical reason he's been put in our year. He's pretty cool, but nothing compared to Sasuke-kun! He's AMAZING! So cool, calm and collected, and he's so hot! Don't you think so? Nearly every girl in the school loves him and who ever gets to be on his team for the exams next week are so lucky and everyone is going to hate them for it!"

She'd said this all pretty fast and Sakura couldn't even tell if she had heard correctly. That raven-haired boy was Sasuke? A guy whom all the school loved and adored? The same guy who she disliked with a passion for his arrogant, twatish attitude towards her, and possibly everyone else he came into contact with? She couldn't understand this school, and if all the girls reactions were similar to Ino's, she didn't know if she could stand it.

Sakura shook her head and turned her mind back into the fight, which had began wordlessly as the pair threw themselves into ready positions, both with looks of sheer annoyance on their faces. The began almost instantly after the fight was declared by Gai-Sensei, punches were flew, kicks were aimed, however the pair hardly landed a blow. It seemed that they were both on an equal level in Taijutsu, and Sakura could tell that they were highly skilled. The fight lasted until the bell rang and Gai-Sensei called the match postponed until next lesson. The class groaned in disappointment as they left the classroom ready for break.

Sakura had joined Ino in the courtyard at break, who had introduced her to her friend, Hinata. Hinata, obviously related to Neji, judging by the eyes, seemed to be a polite, shy girl who just followed Ino because she was too shy to make other friends. She smiled sweetly upon her introduction to Sakura, before listening to Ino ramble on about Sasuke.

"... Wasn't that amazing, the way he- ah!" Ino stopped talking suddenly and flushed bright red in the presence of Sasuke, but she soon regained herself. "Hey, Sasuke-kun!"

"Hn" was his reply, before he strolled off with a bunch of other lads who smirked at Ino's blow off.

Sakura looked disgusted at this response, and before she knew it herself she had stood up and shouted in reply, "Hey, she was talking to you, dumbass!"

Time seemed to stand still. Nobody moved an inch in shock. A minute passed before Sasuke began to walk once more, her words seemingly taking no effect. Once again, anger boiled up inside her as Ino, hushed her into her seat, stopping her from once again, shouting after him.

"Sakura!" Ino whispered as onlookers still stared at them. "Why'd you say that?"

"Because he just blew you off like that, Ino!"

"And, that's his reply to everything! He rarely speaks to anyone, unless you're his friend and then he only speaks once spoken to!" Ino put her face in her hands, muttering under her breath. "Now everyone's going to hate you, you know that Sakura?"

"Why? I haven't done anything!" Sakura cried in defence.

"He's like prince of the school. The guy all the guys want to be, and all the girls want to, erm, do." She said awkwardly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Well, not me. He's an arrogant bastard, and he needs to know it." She muttered angrily, watching the silhouette of Sasuke and his friends creep away in the distance of the courtyard.

There we have it! Longer chapter this time!


	3. Chapter 3

Heyarr! Wooo, I got a review! Infact I've gotten 2 reviews! -feels special- Thank you FDS-Sasuke-fan-girl, your review made me smile! My First Review! Aha! Love it! And thank you Cwinmbrtia! Another smile you gave me! YAY! (psst I like her stories, go read!) YAY for reviews! But I WOULD love some more... hint hint. -bats eyelashes-

Haha, So I started writing this ages ago, this chapter, but I've just been sooooooo busy lately and tired that I just didn't have the time and energy (CUE: aww) but now that I've finished with the School Musical (Oliver!) I have lots more time to write this and have lots of updates for you... I think... I should be revising for my GCSE's.AHH only like 3 months! -Shock face- Hmm...Ah well!

So yeah, here's the long awaited chapter! Hope you like it, even though it's a bit crappy!

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**Chapter 3-**

"Pst. That's the girl who hates Sasuke-kun!"

"Hates Sasuke-kun? Never!"

"She must be a lesbian!"

Whispers followed Sakura the next couple of days, but she didn't care. Why should she? After all, she didn't see what the fascination of Sasuke to the world was! It wasn't as if he was funny, or had a decent personality whom everyone could get along with, no, his personality was far from 'decent' and he defiantly wasn't funny. In fact, Sakura couldn't even see how people would find him attractive! Though she supposed he would look a great deal better without the look of pure disgust on his face as he strutted around the school with his posse.

His friends! Gah! She didn't know when she liked Sasuke less, when the two bumped into each other after school (which happened fairly frequently for some strange apparent reason) or when he was with his friends. She didn't not like any of them, as such, she just didn't know them. She had at first presumed them all to be like mini robot clones of Sasuke, but she had been very wrong indeed. They all seemed so different, it was a mystery how they all came about being friends. There was Sasuke, the arrogant bastard himself. Neji, Hinata's cousin, silent but with emotional range of a tea-spoon. Shikamaru, the quiet, laid back guy who thinks everything is too 'troublesome'. And -

"Hey! Sakura-chan!" A voice boomed into her ear causing her heart to skip a beat from fright.

"Naruto!" She growled, this happening for the fourth time today. He had a tendency to jump out and scream randomly at her, not in an unpleasant way, no, on the contrary, he seemed rather fond of her, himself. Though flattered at first, having no one like her remotely in that way before, but now, after only a couple of days of him shortening her life considerably from fright, she was sick of it.

"Hey! Hey! Sakura-chan!" He grinned toothily, his tanned skin crinkling around his cerulean eyes as he ran a hand through his blonde, spiky hair. "Sakura-chan! Want to eat lunch with me today?"

"No thanks, Naruto, I'd like to eat my today," She muttered moving on quickly, avoiding any more questions from Naruto. She had seen his diet. She called it the Seafood diet. See food. Eat it. (A/N; Lame joke huh? Aha!) She shuddered, remembering her sight of him eating at the very table Sasuke had shunned her from. It indeed, seemed to be claimed as his table, as each lunchtime they would all be found, ignoring the stares from girls across the hall.

Sakura found herself entering the hall for lunch, after spending an hour of her free period alone in her room, to her own thoughts. She made her way over to Ino and Hinata who sat together on a free table.

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino smiled as Sakura joined her. "Where were you today, in free period? You weren't in the courtyard."

"No, I felt like being inside today," She shrugged. The truth was she couldn't be bothered to hear Ino continuous love smoosh on Sasuke. The only reason she had come down for lunch was because of the hunger pains taunting her.

"Oh, well, you should have said, me and Hinata would have joined you," She smiled, getting a reassuring nod from Hinata herself, who smiled politely.

"I'm going to get some food," She smiled politely before weaving in between the tables up to the counters displaying the food. She looked along the rows of baguettes lined up beside each other before putting her hand out to reach the last roast chicken baguette; one problem – there was already a hand reaching out for it.

"Hey, that's mine!" Sakura cried as the baguette slipped through her fingers.

"To bad pinky," A voice said, noting her pink hair. Her head snapped round so fast, she could have cried out in whiplash – but she didn't.

She glared daggers into his own coal eyes. "Sasuke." She growled. "That's my fu-"

"Oi, listen here!" Tsunade's voice filled the room and she stood from the teacher's table. "It is time to announce the teams for this year's exams." Oooing and ahhing filled the room as friends all turned to grin at one and other. "Please make your way to the assembly hall for the selection."

"Hn."

It took almost 15 minutes for everyone to be seated in the hall and for hush to fall among the crowd before the process could begin.

"This year, instead of the traditional three man teams, this year's exams are going to be taken in pairs for the first part. After that, teams will be combined and split to make the traditional teams of three, but until then these are the pairs and once your name is called please make your way through through your respective doors." She pointed to the 4 doors leading off from the main hall, each indicating which year group should pass. "Now, on with the pairs..."

After 10 minutes of pairing until a familiar name was announced and Sakura's ears picked up.

"Sakura Haruno and Shikamaru Nara."

Sakura turned to find the guy who had also stood upon the calling of his name. Yeah, she knew him, through sight only. She smiled weakly towards him before heading through the respecting door.

The room was long and thin, with a couple of other pairs from their year group talking amongst themselves. Sakura made her way to a couple of chairs at the end of the room and took a seat before facing Shikamaru to find him just sitting there staring at her.

"Erm... soo?" She said awkwardly, she didn't like people staring at her, especially people who she didn't know.

He blinked. She didn't know what to say having never spoken to the boy before. After a few moments silence he finally answered.

"I'm just wondering why Sasuke's got such a problem with you," He shrugged, averting his eyes to the ceiling before sighing to himself and looking back towards Sakura.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why? It's none of your business. It's between me and the pompous git."

A slight chuckle left the boy's lips, as he smirked into her emerald eyes.

"I see."

"You see what?" She asked, not understanding what he was quite getting at.

"Nothing," he shrugged once again, his eyes not leaving hers. The smirk still twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"Hmph, could've expected this from one of Sasuke's friends," She sighed, folding her arms around her bust.

"Troublesome." He muttered, still smirking into her eyes.

Small talk was exchanged whilst a few more couple entered the room, vacating the available chairs and soon people had to stand. Sakura looked around nervously, spotting Hinata sat somewhere amongst a crowd of couples. She smiled weakly back at Sakura who could sense her awkwardness from the other side of the room. She was just about to call Hinata over to save her from the crowd, but her attention was caught elsewhere.

"Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara please return to the main hall," Sakura recognised as Anko said from the door way.

The pair glanced at each other in confusion, before hauling themselves off their chairs and casually making their way through the door to find -

"Ino?" Sakura gasped upon looking at the sight before her.

Ino lay, face as red as the brightest tomato on earth, screaming in the arms of a teacher, a look of pure ecstasy bulged from her eyes as she struggled desperately in reach for – for sasuke?

"LEMME AT HIM!" She squealed in a high pitched tone, unlike her normal self. "HE'S MINE! HAHAHA MINE!"

"Sakura-chan, there seems to be a, erm, complication with the pairings, and it is seeming that this pair cannot work with each other like this-"

"SASUKE-KUN! HELP ME!"

"-it is just impossible to work together when one is pouncing or hyperventilating over the other-"

"SASUKE-KUN IS MINE!"

"-So we have come to the decision-"

"SASUKE-KUNNNN!"

"-You will swap partners with Ino Yamanaka-"

"SASU- what?" Ino's voice drowned in reality. Her face grew pale and the blood withdrew, leaving her corps-like as she stared towards Tsunade.

"That's right, Miss Yamanaka. You will now be partnered with Shikamaru," Tsunade said, seemingly un-phased by the previous events. "Sakura, you will now be partnered with Sasuke."

"WHAT?" The two girls cried in unison.

"Tsunade-sama, not _him_ please! Anyone but him!" Sakura pleaded through her teeth, not even taking one glance at Sasuke himself.

"TSUNADE-SA-SA-MA, P-P-PLEASEEE! DON'T TAKE A-AWAY MY S-SASUKE-KUN!" Ino burst into a fit of hysterical tears, holding Tsunade tight, begging for her to take back her last comment.

"Miss Yamanaka, please remove yourself from me. This is not up for discussion. If one cannot behave appropriately then one shall be removed. End of conversation. Please take your places in the other room." She stated sternly, eyes penetrating death glares at the four youths before her. The four stood staring at her for a mere second before strolling half heartedly towards the left door.

"Troublesome."

Shikamaru followed the snivelling Ino out the room, soon followed by Sasuke. Sakura hung back a little before turning to face Tsunade again who just smiled sweetly back.

"You'll get over it," She said, resulting in a sharp look from Sakura.

"Hmph," Sakura muttered. "What's with all this 'if one cannot' business anyways?"

"I thought it gave me authority," Her smile grew.

"Yeah, whatever, crazy lady," Sakura muttered inaudibly.

"What was that?" Tsunade's grin quickly grew into that stern sharp look, Sakura knew oh so well.

"Nothing, Tsunade-sama! Bye!" Sakura grinned herself before hurrying out of the room to join the others and her new found team mate – Uchiha Sasuke.

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So there we go! I hope you liked it! Bit suckish yeah?

Hopefully I'll get up another chapter in a week or so, but I've got another show (yes people, ANOTHER show) in just over 2 weeks time that I have to learn dances slash words slash EVERYTHING for, so yeah. I'm a busy person. eek!

REVEIWS MAKE THE BAD PEOPLE GO AWAY.

You know what to do.

R x


	4. Important!

Heyyar!

Sorry folks, this fic was kind of forgotten...

I plan of starting it up again, continue from where it left off, a stick with it, but I'm not so sure, depending on if you guys want it or not...

So could you guys do me a favour and tell me what you think? Reviews or PM's Even if you're just going to say "Don't. This fic sucks" fair enough, I won't waste my time on it, I have better things to do (I _so_ don't... aha loser) but if some guys out there want me to continue writing then please say and I'll be happy to!

Thanks!

Oooh! And I also have a new story out (3 chapters) called The Boy She Was. It's a cross dressing, Gender bender story type thing set in a boarding school! I'm proud of it so far, and it's in desperate need of reviews so please check it out! The pairing is NejiTen, just in case anyone was wondering...

Love

R x


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